Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea have stood up for the American-born member of the British royal family, with the ex-Democratic presidential candidate admitting that she is “a huge Meghan Markle fan". Both agreed with a Sunday Times journalist that the Duchess of Sussex is a gutsy woman.
Hillary Clinton, who herself has faced persistent criticism from social media users and conservative outlets, also slammed the negative treatment that the relatively new royal gets in the UK media.
"But I do want to say that the way she's been treated is inexplicable. Well, I think if the explanation is that she's biracial, then shame on everybody. It's certainly part of it", she replied when asked about the legal proceedings initiated by the royal couple against the Mail on Sunday over its publishing parts of Meghan’s private letter to her father amid their rift.
Chelsea Clinton echoed her mother’s stance and linked the negative coverage to her choice to have a career first and “having a voice that she thankfully continues to use”.
“Anyone who has the temerity to break the mould of what has previously been established and expected often, unfortunately, receives criticism and bile that I don't understand. We've seen this pattern repeatedly”, 39-year-old Chelsea Clinton said.
She admitted that although she does not know the Duchess, she respects her and is grateful that she “isn't willing to be bullied”.
Notably, Hillary Clinton has already previously revealed her admiration for the American actress-turned-British royal. In September, referencing the Duchess of Sussex on Instagram, Clinton wrote that she is “inspired” by her efforts to represent the United States “in the UK and on the world stage”, as she praised Markle’s support for Smart Works, one of her royal patronages that offers styling and training services to women going to job interviews.
The post came hot on the heels of a controversy over Prince Harry and his wife, who have been outspoken on environmental matters, using private jets for travel. Critics were quick to refer to this in comments, lambasting Clinton.
Some immediately also recalled that Clinton and Markle are connected by more than just an aspiration to make the world a better place: in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hired Sara Latham, a former adviser on Clinton's 2016 campaign, as their head of communications.
This time, the mother and daughter backed the Duchess following an unprecedented move that was announced by her husband earlier this autumn. Prince Harry accused a British tabloid of waging a ruthless campaign against his wife as he announced that they were suing DMG Media - formerly known as Associated Newspapers - that publishes the Daily Mail, which published portions of the “bombshell” letter from August 2018.
“Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences – a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son”, he stated.
